One toad at a time: Naturalist aims to help protect environment from invasive cane toads

Jennifer Southall holds a cane toad she keeps for educational and research purposes. Most nights, she walks around her neighborhood, trying to find and catch the invasive toads found near canals, lakes and standing water. She has caught more than 100 cane toads in the last two months.(Photo: Ashley Collins)

As soon as the sky becomes a Vincent van Gogh-esque canvas of stars, Jennifer Southall walks out of her villa in search of cane toads.

Most nights she walks around her neighborhood off of Immokalee Road in Naples, trying to find and catch the invasive toads near canals, lakes and standing water. She has caught more than 100 cane toads in the last two months.

"It's crazy because 90 percent of the toads I catch are cane toads...They're not afraid of people, and they hide out during the daytime. People don't have any idea that they're there," said Southall, 32.

Whenever she's on the hunt for cane toads, neighbors ask her what she's looking for, and she simply replies, "Catching cane toads."

She catches them with just her hands, avoiding traps at all costs.

Southall said many people she comes in contact with don't typically know what cane toads are, and the dangers they present.

She plans to change that.

Her goal is to raise awareness about the cane toads that come out at nighttime, and are found in yards, around buildings, and near canals and ponds in urban, suburban and agricultural areas. During the daytime, the invasive toads can be found in cool, dark places, underneath bushes, dumpsters and behind air conditioners, according to officials with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Toads are no stranger to Florida’s vast marshland, and often contribute to the plushness of gardens and farms. However, nonnative species, like the cane toad, pose a danger to local habitats, according to FWC. Cane toads emit a toxic milky-white substance behind their ears, which can have a sickening or even deadly effect on native animals and domestic pets that bite or eat them.

Southall saw firsthand how dangerous they could be.

In May, she discovered that her dog bit a cane toad that found its way into her home's lanai. Because he was a bigger dog, and she reacted quickly, Southall said he fared better than another smaller dog she knew that died after biting one.

She suggests pet owners take immediate action if this happens.

“If a dog bites one, wipe out their mouth and wash it for at least 10 minutes. If the dog acts funny, look at the gum, and it’ll be red if they have the toxin,” she said.

At that time, seek medical help.

The cane toad, also known as giant or marine toad, is a large, nonnative amphibian introduced in Florida during the 1930s and 40s to control agricultural pests, according to the FWC. These predators originally come from the Amazon basin in South America to lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. In Florida, the species is typically found in the central and southern region, competing with native frogs and toads for survival.

Catching and studying cane toads isn't just work for Southall. It's her life.

Loved ones call her "Jungle Jen" because she's had a love affair with reptiles and amphibians since she could walk.

“I’ve been actively studying herpetology for 20 years... My dad is a biologist and my mom is a wildlife rehabilitator and teacher," she said. "If you do what you love it’s not work." She also collects live reptiles, writes educational features and is an artist.

Jennifer Southall keeps this cane toad for educational purposes, but mainly catches them to kill humanely. Cane toads secrete a milky-white substance, pictured above, poisonous to any native animal or domestic pet that bite or eat them. They also compete with native toads and frogs for survival.(Photo: Ashley Collins)

Her work with cane toads has made her realize that they present an ecological issue that should be addressed more.

“The cane toad problem is so massive and it’s been swept under the door for so long,” she said. "I’m studying cane toads so that we can find a holistic approach to control them and work on eradicating them.”

Southall follows two key steps after catching a cane toad.

"Proper identification and using humane euthanasia," she said.

Proper identification is key since cane toads can be easily mistaken for native toads.

According to the FWC, cane toads are typically reddish-brown or graying-brown in color, range in size from 6 to 9 inches long, and have a yellow belly.

Southall knows how to identify a cane toad. Every time she catches one, she studies and keeps a record of each toad before humanely euthanizing them. She keeps some for observation and education.

"I'll be able to measure their size, and their sex, and how healthy they appear, and if they have any issues with their skin or body," she said.

Jennifer Southall keeps this cane toad for educational purposes, but mainly catches them to kill humanely. Cane toads secrete a milky-white substance, pictured above, poisonous to any native animal or domestic pet that bite or eat them. They also compete with native toads and frogs for survival.(Photo: Ashley Collins)

One thing Southall stresses is the use of humane euthanasia.

"I use lidocaine sunburn spray, and once they're euthanized, I put them in the freezer in a Ziploc bag and then compost them to use to nourish gardens," she said.

She suggests people trim their home's bushes, and clean any clutter around the exterior of the home because cane toads are attracted to cool, dark spaces.

In the near future, Southall hopes to get more people involved with her work.

She plans to do that by hosting public roundups to catch cane toads at locations in Collier and Lee counties. She hopes to get approval from condo associations to catch the invasive species on their properties.

But she wants to make it clear that she doesn't support toad vigilantism.

"We don't want to kill our native wildlife. We want to protect our native wildlife, which is why we're getting rid of only the cane toads," she said. "The most important thing is if you’re not 100 percent positive it's a cane toad, don’t kill it."